Crowded Republican Primary Raises Questions, Concerns for 2024

There are now eleven candidates in the race for the Republican nomination. How will the crowded field impact the primary race?

“Multi-Candidate Pileup”: An opinion piece in the National Review (Right bias) outlined and defended the criteria set by the Republican National Committee for candidates to qualify for party-sponsored debates. The writer asserts that the RNC must do “whatever it takes to avoid a multi-candidate pileup on the debate stage,” adding that if candidates “can’t generate enough support in the polls to make the first debate stage, that’s a sign that their candidacies are going nowhere.”

The "Anti-Trump" Vote: An analysis in Reuters (Center bias) determined a crowded Republican primary field could “clear the way” for former President Donald Trump to easily acquire the nomination. The piece concludes that roughly a third of Republican voters are solidly behind Trump, while the other two thirds remain up for grabs. Apart from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who consistently polls in second place behind Trump, most of the GOP candidates are polling in the single-digits, resulting in a splintering of the “anti-Trump vote.”

“Bucket of Crabs”: An opinion piece in USA Today (Lean Left bias) echoed this point, citing the crowded 2016 Republican primary as the key to Trump’s success, writing, “Like a bucket of crabs, GOP hopefuls pulled down anyone trying to escape, leaving Trump the lone survivor.” The piece argues that if Trump secures the nomination, “All Republicans can expect then is another White House loss in 2024.”